Dim Sum
by Kabinett
Summary: The Marauders go out to lunch and Sirius behaves like an overly helpful arse. Good thing Remus calls him on it. Slash, RemusSirius


**Title:** Dim Sum

**Author:** Becca

**Disclaimer:** Not mine!

**Warnings**: Kissing

**Summary:** The Marauders go out to lunch and Sirius behaves like an overly helpful arse. Good thing Remus calls him on it.

---

"So, Pete," James said, curling his fingers into Lily's hair, "How's the new job?"

Peter grunted, reaching for the soy sauce.

"Don't interrupt him," Sirius scolded, "He's in the middle of very important business."

Casually flipping him off, Peter went back to his food. Remus was eating with similar enthusiasm and between the two of them, the table was being stripped of food. Peter ate methodically, moving from dish to dish. Remus was more of a browser, picking bits and pieces of what he liked form each. Lily, Sirius and James were just watching them, similar amused smiles on their faces.

Sirius frowned a little, studying Remus. He was paler than usual, especially at this time of the month. Normally he was okay around now. And Peter had lost a great deal of weight, since moving out of the flat that Remus and Sirius shared with him. Sirius figured it was because he couldn't cook.

Glancing at James, he figured the man could amuse himself. He certainly was enthralled in fending off Lily's exasperated looks. She didn't like public displays of affection, which Sirius thought was hilarious. She certainly had loved public displays of i utter disgust /i after all.

Remus, however was worth Sirius' attention. He was very good with chopsticks (a skill Sirius envied) and they danced into the dishes that the server kept on bringing. He brought a translucent dumpling to his mouth filled with shrimp and Sirius had to look away. It wasn't long before Remus needed more tea and Sirius poured it (only spilling a little). Remus glanced up and smiled at him, murmuring something that was half thanks and half-apology for ignoring him so thoroughly. Little did he knew, Sirius was lucky Remus was so damned focused, or Sirius would have a lot of questions to answer.

"Pads?"

Sirius started and James smirked at him, abandoning whatever sweet nothings he was simpering into Lily's ear and leaning in toward Sirius.

"If you are hungry for someone's buns, eat some i bau /i ," James said, holding out the fluffy pork-filled pastry suggestively.

"Fuck you," Sirius replied succinctly and snatched the bun, biting into it vindictively. Swallowing in a large gulp, he ignored James' snickering. Lily looked confused, but James explained it to her softly.

She looked at him with wide eyes and seemed distressingly close to laughter.

"And fuck you too."

James looked indignant and Lily laughed out-right. Peter, surprisingly, stood up.

"And on that friendly note, I have to get back to work. It was great to go out with you lads."

Remus blinked and looked up, looking rather puzzled, "Are we leaving?"

"No, you and Black can stay," Lily said, dragging James up with her and taking his wallet out of his back pocket. He looked rather pleased with the last bit, though far less so when she casually pinched him in the arm. Taking out more than enough money to cover everyone's meal, she set it on the table and turned around.

Just before she left, dragging James behind her, Sirius could swear that he saw her wink.

Peter watched Lily go, a fond amusement on his face, "That woman."

Sirius snorted and Remus shrugged, picking up a spare rib. Peter laughed and put down his share of money, shrugging on his overcoat.

"Peter?" Sirius said and Peter paused, hands still on his button, "What _do_ you do?"

James had been pestering him about it for weeks, but Sirius hadn't really cared all that much. He figured he was making it okay; he had enough ready money to move out of their flat.

Peter smiled mildly and signed, "You know I can't tell you that."

Sirius wrinkled his nose and stuck out his tongue, catching Remus' attention enough to surprise a laugh out of him.

"Are you four?" Remus asked incredulously.

As Sirius leapt to his own defense, Peter gestured to the money and to Remus, mouthing words at Sirius, "Make him take the change."

Nodding shortly, Sirius waved goodbye and Remus settled back to his food. He was eating with truly impressive volume, even considering that he had arrived late from work. It was a dogged sort of consumption, though, stubborn. He was going to eat as much as possible now (today was, as Sirius remembered, a pay day) and save it up, or something. Even in this sort of mindset, Remus' manners were good. They certainly weren't perfect, but Sirius knew about Perfect Manners and preferred the homey sort of propriety that Remus represented.

"I think he works at the Department of Mysteries," Sirius said, not expecting any answer from Remus and not getting one.

"Or maybe Dumbledore sends him on errands. Or maybe he works as something shitty but that pays well, like a garbage collector or a Ministry worker. Or maybe, he works as an exotic dancer in a gay bar."

At the last, Remus looked up and smiled at Sirius. There was a little bit of sauce from the ribs lingering at the fold of his mouth and Sirius couldn't help but take one for him to gnaw on in recompense. Remus licked it off with a pale pink tongue, forcing Sirius to eat most enthusiastically.

"Are you punishing me with that imagery for ignoring you?" he said, bemused. Sirius waggled his eyebrows and Remus concealed his snort of laughter in a delicate sip of tea.

"Because you don't have to do it anymore, I think I'm finished."

Sirius pouted, reaching for the money and the check before Remus had a chance to, "Aww, sure you don't want any sweets? I have some beautiful stories about my mother, Kreacher and the i real /i reason she kept those liquor bottles."

Remus shuddered theatrically, "I'm not sure whether I'm more horrified by sweet red bean paste or that particular image, but either way I'm going."

Sirius put some of his own money into the pot and lied to Remus, "You owe about five pounds."

Remus looked rather impressed as he slipped out the money, "Awful cheap, isn't it?"

"Yes, wonderfully. Let's go!" he said, standing up and draining his tea. By now it was cool so there was no scalding involved, though that has happened in the past and likely would happen again in the future. Sirius stuffed James and Peter's extra money into his pocket, waiting for the right moment.

They walked in amiable silence past the fish tank and black lacquer, before stepping out into the crisp Automn air. Remus was checking his watch and Sirius was non-chalantly watching Remus.

"Oh!" Sirius said, in what he hoped was convincing surprise, "James and Peter gave me too much money; could you take it? I'm terribly irresponsible, I'll lose it or something."

Sirius fussed through his pockets and didn't see Remus until he slammed him against the wall.

"Do you think I'm stupid?" Remus said, quietly.

Sirius was too surprised to answer coherently and could only manage a confused little squeak.

"I know what you all are doing and I i don't take handouts /i ."

"Help!" he corrected, "Help, not handouts. Believe me, we i know /i you don't take handouts, you've told us enough."

"But you still persist in patronizing me like that!" Remus insisted and Sirius was beginning to lose track of this conversation. Remus' bony hip was pressed against lower torso (he always forgot that the brunette was taller) and it was largely ineffective in constraining Sirius, but was remarkably good at distracting.

"Sirius?"

"Muh?" he said, blinking a little and trying to contain his rising blush. Damn his pale complexion, it was frustrating. Not only were his spots always obvious, not only did he burn in the summer, but situations like these were all to revealing.

"Do you really respect me that little?" Remus said, his voice suddenly softer and less hard. Sirius felt the weight of him, pressing him into the stone front of the restaurant and the heat of him, searing his body. He thought (somewhat giddily) that there had to be a physiological reason for that; he was impossibly scorching.

"No," Sirius breathed, feeling that he obviously needed to say i something /i , "I love you that much and want to help you."

That was supposed to be i we /i , the I came out too personal, i oh Merlin /i --

Sirius stopped his own frantically rolling thoughts with a kiss. He thought Remus' body had been hot, but his lips were infinitely more so. The flavor of tea lingered on Remus' lips and Sirius could taste it; he imagined the feast of Chinese food within Remus' mouth, but he kept his impulse chaste.

Pulling away, he forced himself to look at Remus eyes. He looked confused and there was a long moment of silence. Faintly, as if from far away, Sirius heard a sputtering burst of offended Chinese. Apparently they had attracted an audience.

Just before the quiet became oppressive, Remus spoke.

"Well," he said, "That was really tacky."

Sirius choked out a laugh (far from his usual bark) and kissed him again, more thoroughly this time. He tasted soy sauce.

When they broke (too short and an eternity later), Sirius saw the growing crowd.

"Remus?"

"Mmm?" he said, apparently deciding it was his turn to be incoherent.

"We should stop," he said.

Remus looked taken aback, so Sirius quickly explained, "So that we don't get arrested?"

"Ah. Ah," he said, turning around and wincing a bit, "Ah. I see. And, shite, I'm going to be late for work"

Sirius smiled at the obvious retreat, but he knew it not to be a lie. Remus looked flustered and his hair was a disarray. (His shirt was half untucked too. Sirius didn't remember doing that.)

Remus took off at a trot, leaving him to deal with patrons and passerby. Sirius watched him leave and got to see him turn around, smile broadly and yell:

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight."


End file.
